SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office hopes new technology will help crack down on dangerous drone use during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and future major events in the region.
The new technology would be funded by a $500 million federal grant for FIFA host states, specifically designed to stop threats posed by unauthorized drones. The SCSO has applied for the grant and hopes to receive a minimum of $3.3 million per fiscal year.
“We want to make sure there are no bad actors and that we can keep this community and those events safe,” said Undersheriff Dave Ellis of the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
Ellis noted that drones have become a serious safety concern across the nation and in Spokane County.
“We already see places where people are flying drones over prisons and dropping contraband into them. We see other countries where it’s being used in warfare,” Ellis said.
The proposed program would provide law enforcement with tools to address drone threats that could deliver “contraband or potentially even more dangerous substances or devices.”
“Having a tool to mitigate that threat is critical for us, especially with the large number of people who will be in town for the World Cup,” Ellis said.
If Spokane County receives the grant, it will own the equipment and use it beyond just the World Cup. Undersheriff Ellis said the technology will only target drones flying where they are not allowed, not those flown legally.
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